A Phantom's Insight
by ShatterMyMuse
Summary: As Amity Park sits innocently over head, a war is raging right underneath their noses...one that the Maddie isn't sure will be won. Extreme AU Eventual DxS and other romance.


**Hey everyone!!**

**I'm posting a story…during Language arts…forgive me if it's short.**

Life sucks. It's a fact of life that you get used to.

Phantom had realized this a long time ago. Nobody cares when it's just you. You have to learn to deal. Running won't help. It makes it harder. It distorts the truth; makes you think you can fend for yourself with out turning criminal.

But you can't. It's impossible.

Because of his ghost powers, Phantom found stealing easy. Almost routine. He walked inside the store in human form, looked for the stuff he needed, then exited the store, transformed, and used his ghost powers from there on out.

But finding places to stay were harder. Sometimes he pretended to be a foster child for a few days or so. Pretending he didn't have parents wasn't very difficult, either. He didn't have any. He had a master. He had minders, overseers, supervisors, trainers, punishers, hell, he even had a nurse, sometimes.

He had yet to find out what having parents was like.

"Do you know why you are here, Phantom?" Master asked in a cool, neutral voice. To others he was known as Vlad, but to Phantom he was Master.

Phantom stood stock still and did not answer. Master didn't want him to. He wanted his little creation to be silent. Obedient. Stealthy. Noise didn't quite fit into any of these categories, so speaking was forbidden. All Phantom could do was nod his understanding and agreement.

Noticing that Phantom had not reacted to his statement, Vlad continued on in a short, yet attention grabbing briefing. "In desperate times like these, we need to take serious measures to adapt ourselves. So far, all you've ever roamed in your life are these hallways, you have only slept in your cell. But when we send you out there to fight, attack, _win_," he paused for a moment after that, to let the significance of the conversation sink in, "you need to know how to blend. How to cope all alone without drawing attention…street smarts. Something hard to teach you in a training facility. No, for this ability, you'll need experience."

Vlad grinned almost malevolently. "I suggest you don't fail. We'll be letting you start in a small town Cheshire Village. Your goal is to make it to Mendham without getting picked up by the authorities, being noticed by residents, or getting…_too_ badly hurt. Do you understand?"

Phantom nodded.

"Good. You have three weeks time. Don't try anything. If you make a break for it, we _will_ catch you, make no doubt about it."

Vlad threw his red-tinted gaze over Phantom as he reached to a small cubby next to his cot that held the clothes he used for missions. "No, you won't be needing those." He drawled slowly. "We have another set more fitting for this assignment. Now, follow!" he cried, and Phantom followed just like a good weapon should.

Phantom shivered. He had found Mendham, and it was about time someone from the company came to pick him up. But the sun descended over the horizon, as if afraid of the moon forever chasing it.

Seeds of doubt began to sprout is his mind. Maybe this was a test too. Seeing if he could adapt when the unexpected occurs. Phantom quickly mowed those inklings of failure down. Master would always be there for him. Even if he frequently punished Phantom, he was always there afterward, comforting him by explaining why this needed to be done to him, why he had to learn. It had been hardly reassuring at first, but he had grown to be dependent on it.

Just as Phantom was about to find a place to spend the night, (which would not be enjoyable, Phantom noted, watching his breath curl out of his mouth in the form of fog) a large white van with an **Axion Labs **label plastered to its side. The car screeched to an obnoxious stop.

A man he didn't recognize growled at him to get in and that he had better do it fast. Phantom hurried to obey, rounding the front of the truck quickly and hopping in the passenger seat. Without so much as a nod, the man floored it and sent the truck hurtling down the road.

After a long unnerving silence, Phantom addressed the man. "Is-is Master pleased with me?" he asked uncertainly.

"That's not for me to tell you. You'll find out when we get there. I thought you weren't s'posed to talk?" The man grunted in response.

Phantom settled back in his seat to ride out the duration of the seemingly permanent lull in the conversation. He soaked in his surroundings.

The van was considerably nondescript. In fact, it had found itself a rank on Phantom's most-boring-things-I've-forced-myself-to-observe list. Not a mean feat. The seats were a bland gray, along with the rest of it.

Phantom decided it wasn't worth it to stay awake. He had completed his test. No need to torture himself, right?

"Wake up."

Phantom groaned and rolled over.

"I SAID WAKE UP YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING PIECE OF TRASH!"

Phantom shot up on his cot, not even bothering to wonder how he got there. He almost quivered in fear when he saw Vlad in all his fury.

Vlad brandished his whip menacingly. "Get up," he spat. Phantom scrambled out of bed. Vlad delivered a painful gash across Phantom's chest.

"How. Could. You. Not. Notice. THEY WERE TRACKING YOU!" Vlad screamed, drawing his whip over Phantom's arms, chest, and legs with every infuriated word.

"Turn around." Vlad whispered hoarsely. Phantom obliged, and Vlad continued his barrage. "They know our location. They know what you look like. In both forms! They will infiltrate the whole company. They'll destroy what I've been working my whole life for! And what do they think they'll do to you? They will kill you. They think you're a monster. A MONSTER! How could a monster be so efficient? How could monster think like you? Do what you do?"

"Look at me," Vlad ordered.

Phantom winced slightly at the harsh tone that Vlad used. But he, as always, did as he was told. "I'm going to go into hiding. Unfortunately for you, having a ghost with an energy level so high would be a dead give away to my party. You will stay here. You will wait. Wait until they come. It is your punishment. To have to deal with the enemy, to realize you were the reason for our failure. But mark my words, Phantom, I will come back for you. And with your help, we will win this war!" Vlad finished off dramatically, then slashing at Phantom once more with the whip for good measure, exited the white-washed room with a flounce.

Phantom meekly nodded in his Master's wake. He stood there, waiting, for what was to come, knowing he would put himself into an unknown state of agony if he even moved.

Sam Manson was headed at a brisk pace towards Maddie Fenton's office. She had heard that she had somehow obtained images of Axion's new weapon. She had to admit, she was intrigued. Sam wanted to know what is was, how it worked, how Vlad had made it, everything.

Apparently, Maddie had also managed to track it back to Vlad's headquarters. An amazing feat in itself. _This,_ Sam thought to herself, _could mean victory for us humans. Victory at last!_

Sam was getting more anxious to know the real story by the second. She had to know. She wanted the play-by-play slow motion story told to her by none other than the woman that achieved it.

Sam curled her fingers around the door to Maddie's sanctuary of the late, took a deep breath, and yanked open the door. When she peered inside, she saw an amused looking Maddie sitting in a comfortable looking leather chair leaning over a messy desk scattered with papers and prototypes of weapons.

Maddie stood and stretched upward, quirking an eyebrow in the process. "You know, the polite thing to do would have been to knock."

Sam flushed. "Oh, Maddie, come on! I need to know all about this supposed 'info' you collected. I mean, everyone's talking about it! Could it mean we're really going to win the war?"

Maddie's eyes flashed an ominous emotion. "Oh yes. We will win the war now. But I fear that Vlad has seen this coming. I think he's going to run for all he's worth from us. But I have no doubt. We will catch him. As for this weapon of his…" Maddie trailed off, as if reluctant to finish the sentence.

Sam looked up at her expectantly. Maddie sighed. "I just don't know. He's some mutant twist between a ghost and some other creature. And it's young. I don't know, Sam, but whenever I looked at it, I got this weird feeling in my stomach. I can't stand the freak, Sam, it disgusts me. This all disgusts me. But this, this gross cross between…I just don't know, Sam." She finished her rant and plopped down into her chair, pressing a hand to her brow.

Sam was shocked by this small outburst. Usually, Maddie was a clam and collected elder figure on the council. She was always the most logical and reliable. It made Sam very worried to know that Maddie was insecure.

Sam placed a reassuring hand on Maddie's shoulder. "It'll be fine, and you know it. So stop your fretting and take a moment to _enjoy_ the feeling of victory, will you? It's the first we've all felt in a long time!"

Maddie nodded tiredly. "You're right, Sam. I need to relax," Maddie admitted.

"I-I think I'm going to go to bed. And tomorrow, we'll search for that monster, and we'll win!"

Sam grinned. "That's the spirit!" And with that, she turned and exited the room, but not with out giving Maddie a hearty thumbs-up.

Maddie chuckled to herself. Sometimes her recruits could be so childish.

Phantom stood. He counted every second, every minute, every hour until the enemy came. He allowed himself not a moment of relaxation. He needed to be on his toes when they arrived to take him away. His mind wandered sometimes. He thought about what it would be like outside of these walls. He had only been outside once on his last catastrophic mission. It seemed so long ago, yet it was barely yesterday.

And as the minutes dragged themselves by in a painful fashion, Phantom became nervous. He just wanted them, to come, for his silent torture to be over with. And his wish was answered.

Quite suddenly, Phantom heard pounding footsteps heading in the direction of his cell door, with some frantic shouting to go with it. And soon, Phantom found himself being trundled along with handcuffs digging agonizingly into his fresh wounds.

Phantom gritted his teeth. He wouldn't cry out. He wouldn't prove himself to be the weak boy he felt inside him, shivering. He was Phantom. Master's pride and joy.

Phantom kept his self control as he was dragged down the hallway and into the awaiting presence of Maddie.

Phantom shook his captors off and stood as straight as he could, disregarding his injuries.

"What are you?" Maddie inquired. She was a petite woman with glossy red hair cut in a bob. She was dressed in a simple blue jumpsuit. Behind her a girl with equally short hair peeked out. Her hair was black, though, and she was dressed in black cargo pants, a green shirt, and a white utility belt.

There were many other people there, too, beginning to grab hold of Phantom again, but there were quickly waved off by Maddie.

"I asked you a question, creature."

For some reason, Phantom was struck by that insult. He didn't understand why it did. Tears pricked at his eyes. He realized it wasn't that comment, but the whole set of events leading up to it that was overwhelming. And for the first time in the presence of other civil beings, Phantom spoke.

"Master," Phantom said slowly and deliberately, his voice cracking from disuse, "he had always forbidden me to talk."

"That's not what I asked you," Maddie countered stonily.

"I…" Phantom hesitated. This was going against everything he was taught.

Maddie flicked her gaze behind Phantom. "Dash?" Maddie prompted.

Phantom suddenly felt a powerful electrical shock travel through his already battered body. Panting, Phantom replied. "I'm a hybrid!" He gasped.

"I figured that. But a cross between a ghost and what?"

"A human."

Phantom once again found himself standing in a white room. He was sick of the color. It was so sterile and…emotionless, yet in his life, it signified pain and loss. And he thought. Thought about how his Master was fairing. Would his Mater be proud of him? No, his Master would be greatly disappointed. He would even be angry. Angry that Phantom had spoken willingly.

It was then Phantom decided to resist. He was loyal to his Master. He would not speak. He would not help these people.

"Phantom, you said your name was?" A voice crackled out of a microphone hidden somewhere in the walls of his prison. Phantom didn't answer.

"Turn around, please." Phantom stayed motionless. He wouldn't comply.

_Zap!_

Phantom had a small dispute with himself. _It may be best just to cooperate for now. If I am too weak to fight back, my struggles will be for nothing,_ he thought. So, begrudgingly, Phantom turned.

And stared in shock. In the wall he had been so defiantly avoiding before, he saw, was a large glass panel. And behind that panel stood none other then Maddie Fenton and the mysterious darkly dressed girl. There were other people, too. Another teenage girl, who looked slightly older than him, had long red hair and strikingly resembled Maddie. There was a dark-skinned boy sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair and staring intently at a computer screen, absent-mindedly adjusting his red beret. Standing on either side of the door there were two large built men. One had blond hair and blue eyes, while the other's hair was black and was oriental. A girl dressed in a red, high-tech suit was glaring with obvious hatred at Phantom through her visor.

The dark-skinned boy leaned forward and spoke into the microphone again. "As you can see, you are being held in a maximum security cell-" he paused as Phantom glanced around the room, seeing nothing but the blinding whiteness, "well, maybe you can't see. But still, don't try anything, because it won't work. We're going to be doing some tests on you. Nothing with any equipment yet, we just want to learn the basics about you. So, ah," he flicked his eyes towards Maddie uncertainly, "just, transform, I guess, or something…"

Phantom quickly transformed for them. If he could somehow get in these people's good graces, then maybe he could take this place down from the inside out…and even though it seemed a ridiculous idea, it was the only ray of hope that smiled down on Phantom.

"Good, good. Um, can you fly?"

Phantom nodded.

"How about shoot ectoplasms?"

Nod.

"Duplicate?"

Nod.

"Phase through stuff? Become invisible?"

Double nod.

"Can you do anything else?"

Phantom formed crytoplasm in his hand, and a small ectoshield with the other.

"Interesting…is that it?"

Phantom nodded. And with that said, their little session ended. Phantom watched in amazement as the glass Maddie and crew stared so intently through rippled, smoothed, and became once again just part of the seemingly mundane wall.

And that was it. Somehow, Phantom was expecting a little more. But nothing more came of their little meeting. Phantom twirled around in a quick circle, quickly moving back to his human form and brushing raven hair out of his eyes.

Squinting against the bright white of the room, Phantom saw a bunk bed, toilet jammed into the corner cleverly concealed by a curtain equally as spotless as its surroundings, and a sink which gave off a slight glow.

It was then he felt an intense hunger roar in his stomach and a burning thirst claw at the back of his throat. Deciding to satisfy what he could, Phantom sprinted forward to the sink, twisted the knob, and relished the sweet water pouring out of the fountain and into his parched mouth.

Phantom drank until his stomach hurt from the considerable amount of water that he had just guzzled down. Now he had his hunger to please. But there was nothing in the room that would fit the job.

Phantom kicked at the air angrily and collapsed on his bed. And even as his furiously growling belly protested, Phantom fell into a deep sleep.

Sam, Valerie, Tucker, Dash, Kwan, Jazz, and Star all sat in a circle in the middle of Sam's room.

"What do _you_ think of the ghost-thingy, Jazz?" Tucker inquired.

"Well, I think he's just misguided, and-"

"What do you mean, he's just misguided? He's a ghost! We've been fighting against those spectral tyrants for years! You lost your father to their evils! And you, of all people, say he- no, it -is just _misguided?_" Star interrupted, shooting Jazz an incredulous look.

"AND," Jazz continued, unfazed, "if Mom would just let me have some short little therapy sessions with him-"

"Therapy!?" Dash exclaimed.

"Yes, therapy, I believe I would be able to-"

"There's no _way_ that you'll be able to convince him anything, man," Tucker intervened.

"_I _think I would be able to, and what I think is what I think so maybe you should just-"

"What you _think _and what you _do_ are two different things, Jazz!" Sam decided now was the time to inject her thoughts into the conversation.

"I know that perfectly well thank-"

"Then why are you suggesting we do these weird things just to help this thing?" Kwan joined in the fray.

"I WOULD APPRICIATE IT IF EVERYONE WOULD STOP INTERRUPTING ME!" Jazz screeched.

The room fell deathly silent and Jazz smoothed her skirt out. "Thank you. Now, I respect all of your opinions, even if I think they are just a _tad_ bit preconceived, but you asked for mine and I was simply giving it!" Jazz took a deep, calming breath. "You guys all have to remember that _he_ is still half human and probably has the same brain structure as one! In fact, I'm sure that he has feelings. So you just be sure to keep that in mind the next time you go insulting him when he can't defend himself!" Jazz finished with a huff.

"Alright, alright, let's not get our shorts in a bunch!" Sam broke the silence.

"Hey, Val, what do you think?" Tucker asked.

"I think that every ghost out there, half or not, should be tortured until they either explode or go insane, and then we should burn their remains. After that, we should somehow create a portal to hell and throw their ashes in."

Everyone in the room blinked at least ten times collectively during the long awkward silence that followed.

"Ooooooookay then…" Tucker said slowly.

Phantom woke with a start to see the girl with long red hair leaning over him, a warm smile adorning her pleasant features.

"I brought you little something to eat," The girl said, gesturing to a tray holding half a loaf of bread, what looked like some orange juice, a thin broth that she had placed at the foot of the bed. Phantom didn't seem cautious or suspicious as Jazz had predicted. In fact, his reaction to seeing food was the exact polar opposite.

He threw himself out of bed and literally attacked the food. Jazz raised a surprised eyebrow as she watched him devour every last bit of his rapidly diminishing food supply. When all was said and done, Phantom bounced back on his haunches and stared at Jazz happily. Jazz found his azure eyes unnerving. Almost…familiar.

Jazz shook off the strange feeling and offered him her hand as assistance to stand up straight. Phantom ignored it and stood up on his own.

Jazz let her hand drift back to her side, slightly hurt. But she staved those feelings off and reminded herself that she was here to help Phantom. And that might take some work.

"So, want to talk?"

No response.

"Have anything you just want to get of your shoulders?"

No response.

"Do you even want me to be here?"

At that, Phantom's head shot up. "Ah, if you don't want me to be here, I'll leave. But, then again, food will be a rather scarce luxury around here, won't it?" Jazz continued on, knowing she had captured Phantom's attention. And sure enough, when she shot a fleeting glance in his direction, she saw two electrical blue eyes looking back with a rapt interest.

"See? We can get along! Now, want to talk?"

Phantom looked conflicted, but seemed to reach a decision. "I will speak with you," was his short reply.

Jazz clapped her hands gleefully. "Alright. You can start out by telling me how you feel at the moment."

"I feel I owe you a thank you for the food and your kindness."

"Um…no need to be so uniform. You can relax. I'm not going to hurt you," Jazz chimed gently.

Phantom nodded slowly. "I don't like this room. It's too white," he said.

"Well, why would you like it? I guess I could bring you some paint…what colors would you want?"

Phantom let his eyes roam around the room hopefully. "Navy blue, and maybe some green, please?"

Jazz was beginning to wonder why Phantom was showing her such impeccable manners. But she couldn't scold him for being polite.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do about that. Anything else?"

"Some paper and a pencil would be nice if you could get some without getting in trouble," he answered.

Jazz's eyebrow's shot up. "What makes you think I'll get in trouble?"

"Well, you're not supposed to be here, right? If you were, you wouldn't have locked the door behind you like that. And Maddie would probably be here also, along with that other girl…what's your name?"

Jazz caught herself before she staggered backwards. Vlad had trained him well. "Jazz. My name is Jazz. And that other girl you're talking about, does she wear black?" Seeing Phantom nod, she supplied an answer. "Her name is Sam Manson. Well, it's really Samantha, but she _will_ rip your intestines out of your eye sockets if you call her that."

"Well, that was a rather graphic penalty. Did she really tell you that?"

"Yes. In fact, I think her threats may even be a little bit more colorful."

"I think you should be going," Phantom snapped. Jazz, rather disgruntled at his sudden change in attitude glanced at her watch. 11:55 it read. Five minutes until the guards did their rounds. Jazz let a shocked gasp escape her lips. He had been here a day and a half and he already had memorized the guards' routine!

Jazz waved a hasty good-bye and slipped the key in the door and whispered, "I promise I'll bring some paint soon."

And with that, she slunk away. Phantom blinked and sat on his bed. He tried to convince himself he didn't enjoy their meeting. That he was only compliant to help his plan to get out. To get food. But he realized he liked this place better than Axion. And that was _not_ good.

The. Boredom. Was. Killing. Him.

There was absolutely nothing to do in the cell to pass the time, except think. And thinking was not something Phantom wanted to do at the moment. All it did was get him confused on which side he was on. He didn't have any steady ground to comfort himself with.

Transforming and occupying himself that way was already burned out. He had sat on his bed juggling ectoblasts for hours. He got up to ten before the thought he might stumble and blow up his bed.

The only thing he could really do in human form was twiddle his thumbs, which as cool as it was to say, wasn't the most desirable way to spend his time. So all he really could do was ponder the different ways he could decorate his room if Jazz ever got him paint, or even came back. He hadn't seen her since their first real talk, and that was days ago. Once in awhile, the guards deemed it necessary to throw a loaf of bread in his room, but that was all he really got. And he was _really_ missing that broth Jazz had brought him.

Phantom thought he'd make a map of the constellations on his ceiling with the paint, with the navy blue as the background. Master had always made him study. He thought it was important that Phantom be able to navigate his way even if he was miles away from civilization. The result was a supernatural freak who enjoyed astronomy. It was almost laughable.

"Psst!" Phantom's head snapped up. Jazz sauntered into the cell, taking meticulous care in locking the door behind her. "Hey, I got some paint!" She exclaimed. Jazz held up two cans of paint and two paintbrushes to go with it.

Phantom beamed her a warm smile and rushed over to greet her. "How're we going to design it?" She mused, rotating around in a circle to gain her bearings. "Maybe, paint the walls blue and the ceiling green, with some green stripes around here and there…"

"I was thinking we paint the walls navy blue, and I could paint constellations, you know, a wrap around view," Phantom said.

"I think that's a great idea!" Jazz squealed in delight. "Are you interested in astronomy?"

"Yes, very much so. Vlad used to make me study star charts for hours on end, so I would be able to navigate no matter where I was," Phantom answered happily, already halfway finished with one wall. Jazz picked up a brush and started painting as well. It was hard work, and soon Jazz was getting frustrated with the fact she couldn't reach high enough to paint the wall completely.

"Ugh!" she cried.

"What's wrong?" Phantom asked in a concerned voice.

"It's just that we'll never finish this room! I can't reach high enough to-oof!" Phantom had grabbed her from behind and lifted her so she could easily paint the upper part of the wall. "Thanks! But I'll probably get heavy really fast."

"No. I could hold you for hours," Phantom replied. Working together, they both made quick work of the rest of the room, including the ceiling. Phantom set her down and snatched up the green paint.

"I'll start with Cancer, and end with Artemis over there," Phantom pointed.

"Good. Let's get started, then."

Maddie pushed open Jazz's door, after knocking three times with no response. "Where is that girl?" Maddie wondered, placing her hands on her petite hips. Sighing as she swept her eyes over the meticulously clean room her daughter seemed to occupy more and more. "Well, she's not here," she muttered, turning on her heel and exiting the room. Maddie made her way down to the labs, to see if she was working on an ectoplasm sample or something of the like.

"Hey Lancer," Maddie called to one of her best scientists. He was currently hanging over a violently struggling ghost that was strapped to a table. He started at the sound of her voice.

"Tom Sawyer, Maddie, what is it that you want?" He exclaimed.

"Have you seen Jazz around here?" Maddie inquired.

"Why, I can't say I have. Why would you need to know?" He shot back at the dirt, genuinely worried after seeing the look on Maddie's face.

"It's just I can't find her anywhere!"

Lancer's stare softened. "I'm sure you'll find her soon, Maddie. Don't worry." He turned back to his work. Maddie sighed and fiddled with the utility belt that was strapped around her waist.

"I guess you're right."

She left Lancer to experiment on the unfortunate ghost, and instead headed for Phantom's containment cell. Might as well observe him in her free time. She tiptoed past his door and slipped into the disguised observation room, looking through the one way glass.

It was all Maddie could do not to scream out in fury and worry. _Jazz_ was in the room with _Phantom!_ Maddie reached for her walkie-talkie that was hooked into her belt and raised it to her lips. "Lancer, Damon, Foley, Manson, get over to Phantom's cell, and bring the recruits," she hissed in an urgent whisper. "Be quick about it!"

There was nothing else Maddie could do as she watched Phantom and Jazz paint green dots on the walls and ceiling. It looked as of Jazz was enjoying herself. _Probably trying to use 'therapy' on him,_ she brooded. Her palms were slick with sweat, and she itched all over as she stood there watching with a horror-struck expression plastered onto her face.

She pressed a finger to her lips as Lancer, Mr. Foley, Jeremy Manson, Damon, Tucker, Sam, Dash, Kwan, Star, and Valerie piled into the room and stifled gasps of their own.

"I knew she shouldn't have…" Tucker trailed off as all of the adults heads cocked towards him and Sam stomped on his foot.

"You _knew_ she might've pulled something like this, and you didn't tell me?" Maddie forced out through clenched teeth.

Phantom's head jerked up so fast Jazz was worried he would have whiplash. "Did you hear that?" he muttered under his breath, more to himself than Jazz. Jazz furrowed her brow and didn't reply. She strained her ears to try and catch whatever minute sound Phantom was intently listening to. He slowly lowered her back to the ground.

Jazz became concerned with Phantom's strange behavior. Jazz may have been a normal girl, but she knew to trust Phantom's instincts. They had saved her from discovery before. "What is it, Phantom?" she whispered hurriedly.

"Jazz, I believe it would be in your best interests to leave. Now," Phantom barked unceremoniously at Jazz, his azure eyes becoming closed up and hard. Jazz was shocked. She took a choked breath and dashed to the door, trying to yank it open. The door was locked and she fumbled with the keys. She managed to turn the lock and tripped out the door. Phantom crept into the far corner of the room, so he was partly shielded by the rusty sink and two walls behind him. He wasn't naïve. He could hear Maddie and crew lurking in the observation room and outside the door.

Phantom started. A high pitched strangled cry echoed down the hallway and into the room. Phantom shifted his body into a battle stance. His wounds still ached, but he was willing to prove his worth to Maddie. He wanted to make sure he was a force to be reckoned with, not a mushroom worthy of being crushed underfoot. Phantom was tired of being oppressed by others who considered themselves higher than him. He would tolerate this treatment from his master; he was the sole reason for Phantom's existence, this place hadn't driven him completely insane yet. But he would not turn the other cheek if Maddie insisted to view him from such low regards. The point, in his mind, was not driven by pride or arrogance. He knew his position was a precarious one. To show blatant disrespect to Maddie was suicide in a literal manner. The scale on which the fate of his life rested upon was currently residing in Maddie's grudging, yet caressing hands, and Phantom was not eager to add the grain of rice that would ensure painful experiments paired with a gradual and humiliating exit from reality and indeed, the realm of the living.

"Phantom?"

_Yes?_ Phantom replied in his mind, but in actuality he merely turned towards the morphing wall. The worry that the paint that with the help of Jazz and himself had adorned itself on the blank prison that surrounded him would impede upon the operation of the glass set in the wall was, as it turned out, and unnecessary one.

"I just want you to know, I won't slip up again. I won't make that mistake again. And you had better watch your step Phantom. You're not dancing around eggshells, your testing out your quickstep in a field of mines." Phantom cocked an eyebrow at that. What had he done wrong, really? Oh, Phantom had picked up a paintbrush! He has broken her royal decree of solitary confinement! Off with his mutated head! All hail Maddie!

Phantom dipped his head to signify his understanding of Maddie's statement, and he tried to suppress the expression of bemusement he felt twisting his features into smirk. "Very well, Maddie. I will watch my step. But, I have become accustomed to wondering, what do your comrades think of such a conclusive decision?"

Maddie leaned forward, not even sparing a glance at her companions. "There was never a decision, Phantom. It was a rule laid down when this fine place was established."

"And there's no room for change or improvement I see," Phantom parried in an irritating tone.

"Is there a need for improvement, ghost? How do you perfect perfection?"

Phantom put on a mock shocked expression. "And this coming from you Maddie? Very well, I will be content just to watch the storm brewing for now. I warned you though, and I expect something in return, one of these days…"

"SHUT UP!" Maddie shouted tersely. That was it. She sprinted out of the observation room and into the containment unit, the door opening automatically after scanning the barcode that was pinned to her chest. She took long strides across the room to the vulnerable spot Phantom stood in. She drew her hand across his face, leaving a painful looking red mark. Phantom rocked back with the force (Maddie packed a powerful punch when she wanted to) and remained silent, waiting for Maddie to make her next move. "Don't you dare speak to me like that ever again, you pitiful excuse for a living organism. What has the world come to? A place where ghosts run rampant and God can't find the time or motivation to make sure all of his creatures are actually _alive _when he let's them enter the world. Really, I don't even understand why he bothers. You think you're all high and mighty, being Vlad's _favorite_ little creation, treated like a prince I'm sure," Maddie sneered, turning to face the wall where everyone watched the scene wide-eyed. "But you don't know what it means to truly suffer and fight and burn yourself out for the one thing that you want most in the world and have lay just out of your grasp forever. You don't know what it means to really hurt, inside and out. To watch people you love die and be able to do nothing about it. So do you know what I think you should do? I think you should just be a good little pet and _do what you're told._" Maddie finished with a strangled huff.

The shock that everyone felt was immense. All thoughts were in a order less jumble, and anything that may have been coherent or useful to the situation was scattered into the deep recesses of their minds.

_What? Maddie's been breaking down lately…I kind of feel bad for Phantom…,_Sam ogled.

_MOM! NO! She's ruined all of the progress I've made with him! ALL of it! I can't believe it! Maybe if she would just stop to consider then it would have worked out…I _hate_ her,_ Jazz silently fumed.

_Wha?_ Dash supplied telepathically.

Star pursed her lips and crossed her arms. _A little harsh, but he deserves it._

Lancer was stunned. _HOLY MOTHER OF WATERSHIP DOWN! HAS MADDIE GONE MAD, PROVOKING THE GHOST!?_

_Well, this can't end well, _Damon mulled darkly.

_Uh…Maddie is just suicidal, I guess, _Kwan surmised, a blank look on his face.

_Maddie's gonna die, Maddie's gonna die…no she's not, I've got it all under control…OH, FAITHFUL COMPUTER, DO NOT FAIL ME! I'll monitor everything…if Phantom makes a move, I'll be ready…but the poor thing looks like he may cry…_Tucker thought.

_Finally. Maddie, you show him. Kick his sorry little ass and send him to HELL…_this unpleasant thought was contributed by a furious Valerie.

All other mental notes followed along the same lines, which were astonished. Phantom was especially caught off guard by the whole ordeal. He was expecting a shaken up Maddie, not a one who would spew enough venom from her mouth to kill a pack of elephants. All he wanted was to brush some nerves. Phantom felt an odd boiling anger swirl in his gut. "Maddie-" he began, but he was interrupted rudely.

"You have no right to call me that. You don't know me, you don't use my name. Until you come up with a better one, you can call me Un-Safe Keeper. S.K. for short. Why? Because if I feel like it, I'll be blowing you to up to Heaven. And it'll be a long fall to Hell." She seethed.

Phantom blinked. And blinked again. He had a tingling sensation in his eyes. It was weird. He had only felt it a few times before, and his master had quickly told Phantom exactly what he thought about tears and crying. It was a weakness to show emotion. And now more than ever, Phantom definitely didn't want to appear weak and at a loss. He didn't quite know what had stung about what Maddie had said. Maybe it was that he had always had substitute names for everyone in his life before now, and he was fond of the privilege this place had offered him. Maybe it was because he thought Maddie had no claim over him and therefore could not demand him to call her whatever she wanted just because she felt like it. He could feel the eyes of his captors boring holes in his forehead. It was an embarrassment. He angrily swiped his hand upward to smear the tear away, but he could not stem the flow of the hot, salty fluid. They continued to leak out of his eyes until he took a deep shuddering breath. Suddenly, the tingling was replaced with burning. Phantom stared intently back at S.K. (Phantom's mind had already begun to discipline itself). He felt like he was falling, though he could feel his feet anchored solidly to the ground. He clutched his head. "Ohh…" he moaned, but he refused to break away from Maddie's piercing gaze. His stomach was churning and he had developed an awful knot in his stomach. His head ached as well.

As for Maddie, well, she wasn't faring much better. She barely could recall the surprised feeling of seeing Phantom cry. No, that was swiftly replaced by a falling feeling, or maybe better described as the carefree feeling one would have if they resided in M.C. Escher's painting of Relativity, but coupled with the frustration of trying to navigate it. A voice broke her revelation. "I'm not worthless. I am equal to you. You should treat me like I am. WHY ARE YOU SUCH A TYRANNICAL WITCH!? You say you fight for the good of people all around the world, but so did Hitler. Oh, I bet that stings, hearing yourself compared to such a man. A man who killed millions. Well, let me tell you something S.K., you're on the fast track to becoming such a monster yourself. But instead of killing, you will be destroying spirits who just wanted to enjoy their afterlife…" The voice faded out and Maddie found herself back in reality.

Maddie shook her head as her sight settled back on Phantom. "On second thought, maybe we should all just let Phantom be. Maybe even let him go, wouldn't you say?" She murmured. Everyone's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"What are you talking about, Maddie?" Lancer inquired carefully.

"I'm saying Phantom's had a rough life, so let's just…let him free…I guess…"

For a man as much overweight as he, Lancer bolted out of the observation room and into the containment unit at an impressive pace. "Maddie, I do hope you will forgive after this, but I have no choice, seeing as Phantom has obviously induced you with some sort of hypnotism!" Lancer whipped out a silly looking device. It almost looked like a cross between something you'd see in a Dr. Seuss picture book and something out of Star Quest. He pointed the odd device at Phantom's temple and fired full blast. Phantom, who was currently doubled over in a pathetic manner was caught by the sickly yellow beam in the temple. "Oh…ohh…" he mumbled under his breath. He felt whatever he had last consumed swirl around in his belly. "Mmohm…ohh…ohm…" He continued.

Lancer flicked his gaze over to Phantom in contempt. "You have nothing to say, you vile creature. JUMPING OLIVER TWIST!" He exclaimed as Phantom retched all over the prim neat floor of the room. Phantom barely had time to wipe his mouth before he was plagued by another heave in which he threw up nothing but acid in what looked like an extremely painful way. Lancer furrowed his brow and studied Phantom's sob wracked body. "Well, that was not foreseen as a side effect-" He cringed as Phantom once again emptied out the contents of his deprived stomach into a puddle floor.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Maddie screeched at a pitch so high and so loud some were worried their ears would be permanently damaged. Tucker entered the room with Sam tagging along behind.

"Well, I think he was hypnotizing you in some way, but I'm not sure…"

"I suggest, Lancer, you explain to me why he is decorating the floor at the moment with some not-so-pretty colors."

"Ah, you see, he must have been shaken by the effort it took to reign your mind in and when I hit him with the HypnoBreaker it must have overwhelmed him with energy, I guess."

"Well, I _guess_ you make something that will disable this power and for HEAVENS' SAKE GET HIM SOME MEDICAL ATTENTION!" Maddie turned on her heel and exited the room with a flourish of her page-boy hair. Sam rushed up to the ailing Phantom.

"Are you okay? It's typical of Lancer's projects to have unwanted problems, but this isn't the worst I've seen come from one of his blunders," Sam reassured him while he was raised onto a stretcher by two very confused men who go by the names of Dash and Kwan. As they left the room, Sam continued her comforting speech. "It's going to be okay. We have a state-of-the-art hospital facility here, and it is well equipped for circumstances such as these." She was lying through her teeth of course. Sure, the hospital was pretty good, but not exactly ready to treat a half-ghost. They swerved into a room with a comfy looking bed. Phantom had been turning his head and emptying what needed to be emptied over the side of the stretcher (much to the discomfort and disgust of Dash and Kwan), but he was aware enough to realize that the bed also had straps attached to the sides. Sam, wholly convinced that Phantom was indisposed at the moment, let an alarming piece of information slip. "But him in that bed…yeah strap him down with the overshadowing buckles…and get a needle or something full of that ectoplasm…one, two, three-" She plunged the glowing needle deep into Phantom's forearm, and he let out a yelp of surprise and pain. _Whoa, feeling a bit topsy-turvy. Did…did she drug me? I'm fine…I'm…I…_

Sam smiled softly as Phantom drifted off. In fact, the needle was not full of ectoplasm, but a very potent and powerful drug that was sure to have Phantom out of the count for at least two hours. She, with the help of a reluctant Kwan, unbuckled Phantom (Dash had retreated to his room after discovering the painting Phantom had splattered on him) and began to undress him. She lifted up his ragged shirt and brushed some of his hair out of his face in the process. He actually was quite handsome, once you got over the whole I'M-A-GHOST-AND-A-TOUGH-GUY-FEAR-ME demeanor. Sam wasn't really paying attention to much else other than his sleeping face…

"Oh my God Sam, look at his-" Sam reached up and whacked Kwan on the back of his head and pressed a finger to her lips. Phantom was induced, but that didn't mean that if everyone was loud that he wouldn't wake up. Sam turned back to Phantom and stifled a gasp. His chest was covered by criss-crossing scars. They ran all over in random directions. Some were a livid red, while others were just white lines, and others still were bleeding. The sight was a gruesome one, and Sam couldn't help but feel entirely sympathetic towards him.

"Who did this to you?" she whispered, horrified. There was only one thing she could do to rectify the situation even the slightest bit. Sam reached into a cabinet and pulled out some gauze and gingerly began to wrap his torso with it. It was tedious work, but for some reason, Sam felt she owed him at least this. He had to endure all of the hate filled glares and mental abuse of being cooped up in a little cell all day. Once she had padded his chest to her heart's content, she tightly encircled her progress with a bandage wrap. He was still out like a light, and she traced the outline of his mouth gently with her fingers. He had a sort of regal beauty and air about him. It gave one the feeling of dealing with someone important who was not to be trifled with. But during the unfortunate encounter with Maddie that day, she had seen right through that well constructed façade, He had obviously been distraught throughout the duration of the angry lecture of a sorts, and looked more like a lost schoolboy than an intimidating monster like that of a fairytale book.

And his eyes…she felt like they were the key to his inner being. Whatever he did with his eyes to Maddie, she felt it was unintentional. Those blue orbs wouldn't do anything unclean. They looked so innocent and inviting when he didn't know you were watching. Sam pulled her hand away abruptly from his handsome features as she heard light footsteps. "Here's the device that'll disable Phantom's ability to invade the mind." The deep voice was Damon's. "He actually already had a prototype on hand, but he just felt the need to perfect it now," he said casually with a hint of humor.

"Well," Sam replied tersely, "let me have it, and I'll make sure it's applied properly."

Damon nodded good naturedly an handed her the sleek object he had clutched so warily in his big hand before. "Here you go," he said, and exited the room smartly. Sam rubbed her fingers across the smooth surface and peered at the object. _Sunglasses?_ She was under the impression that she was going to zap him with one of those ray guns Lancer seemed so proud of. She strode over to where Phantom lay and slipped them onto his face, making sure none of his hair got stuck between the arms of the glasses and the side of his head. If these were meant to disable him, then she was definitely sure he was not going to be able to take them off anytime soon. Only until Maddie gave the order, and that was probably not going to happen. Ever. Phantom mumbled something in his sleep and began to stir. Sam gave a start. Had it really been two hours already? Apparently it had.

"My stomach…feels horrible," came the moan from Phantom, who was trying to sit up and blinking the sleep out of his eyes groggily.

Sam's lips twitched. "Well, look who's the baby now?" She taunted him foolishly.

Phantom's gaze darkened, but for Sam it was hard to tell, due to the black sunglasses. "It's darker," He said matter-of-factly. He reached up and groped at his eyes. "What did you put on me?" His tone was plain and bland, like he knew he either wasn't going to get a straight answer or he was, and he definitely wasn't going to like it.

"Er-the glasses are to keep you from doing eye tricks with everyone. We can't have a takeover of our little establishment from the inside _and_ by a ghost, that would be embarrassing."

"Mm, I see what you mean. But I'm telling you, I didn't know what I was doing, honestly. I've never done that before." Phantom looked up at her pleadingly, like he was begging her to believe him. Sam grabbed his hand and studied his face.

"I believe you, Phantom. But, is it normal for you just to adopt new powers spontaneously? If that is true, it would mean a pandemonium for Lancer and the other technicians…"

Phantom looked at her sharply. "Yes, it is true, but you can't tell anyone. I don't like the images and nightmares that plague me whenever I close my eyes."

"Yeah, I guess Maddie and the other scientists would take advantage of that little fact," Sam paused awkwardly. "Ph-phantom?"

"Yes?" he replied tersely, wondering why all of a sudden she seemed so uncomfortable.

"Well, I was curious. Ah, how did you get-um, what I mean is…howdidyougetallofthoseweirdlookingscars?"

"Oh. Well, I see you fixed them up for me. Master punishes me when I am not good enough."

Sam was a little bit shocked and a lot disgusted. "Do…do you like your Mas-"

Phantom's features had already gone blank of the minimal emotion they had held before. "That is enough interrogation, Sam." He was sitting cross-legged now, looking guarded and tense. The sudden change in atmosphere was slightly disorienting for Sam, but she, being the confident girl she was, quickly regained her footing.

She blinked in the long silence that followed. "How did you know my name?" She demanded. Well, if Phantom wasn't going to be


End file.
